Procolored P13

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• Procolored P13 $3599.99
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Direct-to-Film (DTF) printing has been a game-changer for apparel creators, but the hardware landscape has always forced an uncomfortable choice. At one end, sub-$1,000 converted Epson printers demand constant tinkering, calibration, and a tolerance for downtime that most businesses can’t afford. At the other, $10,000+ industrial machines deliver reliability but price out everyone except established print shops.

The Procolored P13 occupies the missing middle. At $3,499 during launch promotion $4,999 MSRP, it’s priced well above entry-level conversions but substantially below professional-grade systems. The question isn’t whether it’s cheaper than an industrial printer — it is. The question is whether it delivers enough reliability, print quality, and workflow efficiency to justify the premium over a DIY conversion.

Hardware Architecture: The XP600’s Sweet Spot

The P13 uses a 6-channel Epson XP600 printhead — a deliberate choice that reveals Procolored’s engineering priorities. Where many entry-level DTF printers rely on 4-channel heads that require two printheads to achieve CMYK + white, the P13’s single 6-channel design consolidates everything into one unit.

Why this matters: Dual-printhead systems introduce alignment drift. Over time, the CMYK head and the white head can fall out of registration, producing blurry edges and misaligned underbases. The P13’s single-head architecture eliminates this failure mode entirely — one less variable to chase during troubleshooting.

The 4.5 picoliter minimum droplet size is another meaningful spec. For context, typical entry-level DTF conversions operate in the 6–8 picoliter range. Smaller droplets translate to finer detail, smoother gradients, and less visible banding — particularly important for photographic designs and small text. Independent testing confirms the P13 delivers “crisp, vibrant results with sharp lines and strong color density,” with a white underbase consistent enough for dark fabrics.

The Maintenance Question: Where Most DTF Printers Fail

This is where the P13 separates itself from the conversion crowd. The single biggest operational cost of any DTF printer isn’t the purchase price — it’s the white ink maintenance.

White pigment settles. Settled ink clogs nozzles. Clogged nozzles mean streaky prints, wasted film, and hours of head-scratching cleaning cycles. The P13 addresses this with three layered systems:

1. Automatic white ink circulation keeps pigment suspended between print jobs, reducing the sedimentation that kills printheads.

2. The 3-mode smart cleaning system (12/24/36-hour timers) automatically performs maintenance cycles during idle periods, reducing ink waste by up to 58% compared to manual cleaning.

3. Laser film detection prevents the printhead from scraping against raised or wrinkled film — a common cause of physical head damage in budget DTF setups.

The included printhead moisturizing device and nozzle protection fluid are practical acknowledgments that DTF printers require active maintenance, not passive operation.

The Security Incident: What Actually Happened

No review of the P13 would be complete without addressing the software security concerns that surfaced in mid-2025. Several media outlets reported potential links between Procolored’s software and cryptocurrency-related malware.

The technical reality: Procolored’s software is developed by Shenzhen Hosonsoft Co., Ltd. , an ISO/IEC 27001-certified provider. The malware command servers referenced in those reports were taken offline in February 2024. Following the incident, Procolored rescanned all software packages through VirusTotal and third-party security tools, confirmed hash value integrity on core files including “PrintEXP.exe,” and transitioned from USB distribution to verified online delivery.

Independent testing by Gizmochina found no security threats in the current software version. The concern appears to be based on older malware (“XRed”) unrelated to the current release.

The takeaway: The company responded with appropriate security protocols. The software is now clean, and the delivery mechanism is more secure than before.

Safety Hardware: A Detail Most Reviews Miss

During hands-on testing, one reviewer noted the printer unexpectedly paused when a hand moved close to the film area. What initially appeared to be a malfunction was later confirmed as a built-in photoelectric detection system — originally designed for media error detection but functioning as a smart emergency stop.

This is a meaningful safety feature for home-based creators. In shared spaces where children or pets may be present, automatic shutdown on unexpected contact is more than a convenience — it’s a liability buffer. Combined with the waste ink alarm system that alerts users before spills occur, the P13 demonstrates a level of safety engineering uncommon in this price tier.

Throughput and Production Capacity

The P13’s throughput is modest but honest. An A4 print completes in approximately 7 minutes. Production estimates suggest the machine is suitable for businesses producing up to 50 pieces per day.

For context, that’s roughly 6–8 A4 prints per hour, or 24–32 smaller format prints. This isn’t a production-line machine — it’s a studio workhorse for businesses that prioritize quality and consistency over raw volume.

Competitive Landscape: How the P13 Stacks Up

Summary

The Procolored P13 is not the cheapest DTF printer, nor the fastest, nor the most automated. What it is, is the most thoughtfully engineered desktop DTF printer in its price tier for creators who prioritize reliability over volume.

The single 6-channel XP600 printhead eliminates the alignment headaches that plague dual-head conversions. The 4.5 picoliter droplets deliver detail that budget printers simply cannot match. The safety engineering — laser film detection, photoelectric emergency stop, waste ink alarms — reflects an understanding that these machines are increasingly operating in home environments, not industrial warehouses.

And the software security incident, while concerning, was handled with appropriate transparency and remediation. The current software is clean, the delivery mechanism is secure, and the development partner holds ISO/IEC 27001 certification.

If that describes your workflow, the P13 is one of the strongest options in its class. If you need higher throughput or lower upfront cost, the XtraMaker M1 or OMTech Aurora deserve consideration. But if you want a printer that works — consistently, safely, and with professional-grade output — the Procolored P13 delivers.

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